How to Transfer Contacts From iPhone to Android (4 Ways)

Yes, you can move every contact from an iPhone to an Android phone, and it takes a few minutes. The quickest way is Google’s Switch to Android app while you set up the new phone. If the Android phone is already set up, sync your contacts through your Google account or export a .vcf file from iCloud and import it into Google Contacts.

The four methods below go from the most complete to the most manual. If you are moving the other way, see our guide to transferring contacts from Android to iPhone.

Use Google’s Switch to Android App

This is the best option for a new Android phone, because it copies contacts along with calendars, photos and videos in one go.

1. Turn off iMessage on the iPhone first, so texts from other iPhones reach your new phone.
2. Start setting up the Android phone and choose to copy data from an iPhone or iPad.
3. Scan the QR code on the Android screen with the iPhone’s camera, install Switch to Android when prompted, and follow the steps. Keep the phones close together.
4. The wireless transfer needs iOS 15 or later on the iPhone. You can also connect the phones with a cable (you may need a USB-A to USB-C adapter) and tap Trust on the iPhone. The cable method copies more, including messages.

Google’s guide to copying data from an iPhone lists exactly what moves with each method.

Sync Contacts Through Your Google Account

Use this if the Android phone is already set up, or if you want both phones to keep the same contacts.

1. On the iPhone, go to Settings > Apps > Contacts > Contacts Accounts.
2. If your Google account is not listed, tap Add Account, choose Google and sign in. Google’s help page explains how to add a Google account to an iPhone.
3. Tap the Google account and switch on Contacts.
4. To save new contacts to Google from now on, go to Settings > Apps > Contacts > Default Account and choose Gmail.
5. Sign in to the same Google account on the Android phone. The contacts appear in its Contacts app.

One catch: this syncs only the contacts stored in your Google account. Contacts saved in iCloud or only on the iPhone do not move by themselves. For those, use Switch to Android or the .vcf method below.

Export a .vcf File From iCloud

A .vcf file (also called a vCard) is a standard contact file that almost any phone or email service can import. This method is useful when your contacts live in iCloud.

1. On the iPhone, go to Settings, tap your name, then iCloud. Tap See All next to Saved to iCloud and make sure Contacts is on.
2. On a computer, go to iCloud.com, sign in with your Apple Account and open Contacts.
3. Select all contacts and export them as a vCard. You get one .vcf file.
4. Open contacts.google.com, sign in with the Google account you use on the Android phone, choose Import and select the .vcf file.
5. The contacts appear on the Android phone once it syncs with that Google account.

Share One Contact at a Time

If you only need a few people, no computer is needed:

1. Open the Contacts app on the iPhone and tap a contact.
2. Tap Share Contact and send it to yourself by email or message.
3. On the Android phone, open the attached .vcf file and add it to your contacts.

Check That Every Contact Arrived

Compare the number of contacts on both phones before you erase or trade in the iPhone. If some are missing, they were probably saved in a different account (iCloud, Google or an old work account). Export from that account too. If you see doubles after combining methods, use the merge option in Google Contacts.

Moving Photos Too?

Switch to Android copies photos and videos during setup. If your pictures are in iCloud Photos, Apple can also send a copy straight to Google Photos from privacy.apple.com. Most transfers take three to seven days and your originals stay in iCloud. Once a backup is done, you can free up iPhone storage if you keep using the old phone. Still deciding which platform suits you? Our iPhone vs Android privacy comparison may help.